Uvalde Solar Farm Shines Energy Into the Future

By Alese Underwood
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April 15, 2016 @12:42 AM

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UVALDE—A new solar farm in Uvalde will be beacon of renewable energy for years to come.

CPS Energy and conEdison Development unveiled the installation of ‘Alamo 5’. Nearly 1,000 acres of old ranch land just 85 miles outside of San Antonio, soaks in the sun for a different kind of energy. San Antonio native Walter Armstrong and his wife Suzanne own the land.

“It’s going to be a fabulous project for the long term benefit for a lot of people. Her great-great-grandfather was an early-stage trail driver, so he was an innovator in his own age at 16 and at 19 he had his own heard,” said Armstrong.

Now the land has grown in different ways and reflects a light into the future through 378,000 solar panels.

“This solar farm will power 15,000 homes in our community. It’s created a lot of local jobs,” said Cris Eugster with CPS Energy.

Alamo 5 generates 95 MW(AC) of power through duel-axis trackers that can follow the sun both vertically and horizontally.

“The dedication of the people here and the workers has been absolutely phenomenal,” conEdison Development President/CEO Mark Noyes said.

For everyone involved, what’s extra exciting about this project is the fact it shows potential and opens the doors for future opportunities for solar energy in San Antonio and across Texas.

“You’ve got 5 here, 6 is up in Hanscom and 7 as well. They’re a little bit larger than this and both are in construction right now,” Noyes said.

Alamo 5 might not hold the title of “the largest operation dual-axis solar plant in North America” forever, but for the Armstrongs, they’re just proud of what it stood for 100 years ago to today.

“It’s always been growth and positive things in the community,” Armstrong said.

Since the first of the year, the project has created more than 950 jobs. San Antonio ranks 1st in Texas for solar capacity and No. 7 nationwide.